Posts Tagged “Castle Island”

Genealogy and Family History Myth #1
They Saw Ellis Island and the Stature of Liberty
Learn more at www.Irishroots.com

Arriving in the U.S.
Yes, it has to be true. My family sailed in from Ireland,
and was definitely among the poor, huddled masses so
often connected with the Statue of Liberty. I could form
a picture in my mind, the ship sailing in, with my family
taking a bold, if tired look, at the famous landmark.

The Famine Immigrants
Surely, all of the immigrants that came over fleeing the
Irish famine, (see our famine song video), were inspired
by the sight of the famous landmark. Mine were no
different. I recalled all the movies that show immigrants
arriving at Ellis Island alongside the great Statue of Liberty.
I could now identify with all of those brave, daring,
independent souls.

The Problem
One great problem however. The famine runs from about
1845 – 52, peaking in 1847. It would be a generation or
two later before the great statue was built, much less
shipped to and erected in America.

It was in the 1890’s that the Statue of Liberty appeared
in the U.S.. (The same decade that the Birth Index of
Ireland appeared, helping researchers yet today!)

The Garden not the Island
Before that it was not Ellis Island and the noted statue
that greeted the immigrants into the New York harbor.
It was ‘Castle Garden’ so many would be sailing into.
Castle Garden still has surviving records dating back to
1820. These records run until 1892, the year Ellis Island
opened.

So then, here are some sources to start researching:

Click here for Castle Garden records
1/21/2012 – 63,000 more new records were added !
This free site offers access to an extraordinary
database of information on 11 million immigrants.
Over 100 million Americans can trace their ancestors
to this early immigration period.http://www.castlegarden.org/